Keep Me in Your Memory
by TearsOnTape
Summary: Three years after the first Makai tournament, the Spirit Detectives are pulled out of retirement to compete again. The grand prize this year is the miko and current employee/SD of King Enma, Kagome Higurashi who hosts the sacred jewel, The Shikon no Tama. l IYYYH x/over. Hiei/Kagome. Rated "M" for lots of heavy stuff.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The End and The Beginning.

-Sengoku Jidai; 500 years ago-

It was over.

Kagome panted sharply as she grasped the completed jewel in her hand. The Shikon no Tama glowed vibrantly in her grasp, the power surging throughout her entire body. Shippou was sitting on her shoulder, his little body trembling. She looked around miserably, her thoughts scattered. 

Sango was holding onto Kohaku's limp form, the taijiya sobbing as she buried her neck in her younger brother's bleeding neck. Her uniform torn and her hair in a mess, she sat back on her knees and wailed loudly. Miroku placed his hands on her shoulders, his face falling at the sight of the woman he loved in so much pain.

A few feet away from the couple, Kikyo knelt at Inuyasha's side. The priestess was trying to stem the bleeding in the hanyou's chest where Naraku's tentacle had pierced through. The normally cold woman was absorbed with emotion, her dark eyes welling with tears as the hanyou reached up with a weak hand to gently cup her cheek.

Shaking, Kagome looked to Koga's fallen body, Ginta, Ayame, and Hakkaku mourning, and couldn't help the whimper that escaped her lips. She felt a hand fall heavily on her back and she looked up to Sesshoumaru, who stared down at her with knowing eyes.

"Miko, it is time," he said, his voice soft but demanding. The death of Rin, along with not being able to revive her in time with Tenseiga had left him with pain that Kagome could see right through.

'_**but…how can I choose? What wish can I make that will make everyone feel whole again?' **_

Kagome closed her eyes tightly, shaking. She let out a gasp when the jewel suddenly glowed even brighter and she opened her fist, staring down into the pulsing jewel. A voice, soft and sad, reached out to them, causing everyone to look around in confusion for the owner.

"Be aware that whoever makes the wish must be willing to sacrifice a great deal. Once the wish is made, the jewel will be absorbed into the wish-makers body and the host will live a long but very hard life."

"Who…?" Kagome looked around but then paused. The voice didn't come from a person…the voice had come from the Shikon no Tama. Her blue eyes looked around to her friends again, her heart thudding painfully in her heart. "C-can you erase me from their memory?"

"Kagome?" Shippou whimpered, confusion in his bright green eyes.

"Miko?" Sesshoumaru began, his tone surprised. "You cannot possibly-" his sentence was abruptly cut short as Kagome spoke up again.

"Reverse this," Kagome whispered to the jewel, seeing Inuyasha slowly begin to sit up with Kikyo's help. She could see the questioning in his golden eyes. "All of it. Let them be happy, and let them forget of me. My past, my present, my future…I sacrifice all of this, all of my existence, in order to make my wish for them to be happy and complete."

"What are you doing, wench?!" Inuyasha cried out, having heard her words and currently struggling to his feet. His eyes began to water, "Don't be fucking stupid! Go back to your time; you've done your duty!"

Kagome waited for the jewel to respond.

"…Your wish will be granted. You will live on, with countless obstacles to face, for this wish. Your family, your friends, everyone that you have known will have their minds cleansed of your memory. Bid farewell, miko."

Kagome could feel the pulsing getting stronger in her palm and she smiled softly, shaking her head. She couldn't allow any of them to make any more sacrifices. To feel any more pain. Her friends…the people she loved, they deserved happiness.

"No, momma! Don't!" Shippou yelled, his arms wrapping around her neck as he began to cry. Kagome felt her lower lip begin to tremble and she hugged Shippou tightly, sniffling before she gently removed his hands from her neck and then held him out to the Taiyoukai standing besides her.

"Miko," Sesshoumaru waited until her eyes locked on his. "Why?"

Kagome gave him a watery smile, "You've all dealt with so much pain," she looked towards her friends. Sango and Miroku were staring at her, stunned to silence. Kikyo sent her a respectful nod, her arm supporting Inuyasha. The hanyou had tears streaming down his face.

"You can't do this, wench," Inuyasha whimpered as he tried to take a step closer but stumbled onto his knees instead, the wound on his chest gushing more of his blood.

"Please," Kagome murmured to Sesshoumaru, "I know you might not remember me," the jewel's pulsing began to intensify, "but please just don't fight with him anymore…and take care of Shippou." The fox kit stared up at her, his tiny face covered in wet tears. "I love you, Shippou, and I'm sorry." she said, then looked around once more as her vision began to fade, "I love you all!"

_-Present Time; Spirit World; 3 Years After the First Makai Tournament-_

"Are you kidding me, you little shit!?" Yusuke roared, his hands reaching for Koenma's neck, "You bring me out of retirement for this?! Another fucking _tournament_?!"

Koenma didn't flinch, eyes hard. "Yusuke," he began, voice tight, "I understand why this angers you and I'm sorry to have to bring you all back into this but I…_**we**_ have no choice."

The tone in the ruler's voice caught the attention of the two youkai in the room. Hiei and Kurama exchanged a subtle glance before Kurama decided to speak up. "Koenma," the fox started, "what has happened?"

Koenma pulled himself away from the irritated toushin and sighed. "Three years happened."

"You're damn right they did! I have a damn kid on the way, Koenma, I can't be risking my life anymore!" Yusuke yelled, fists pounding down onto the toddler ruler's desk.

"Hn. The three years Enki had as ruler of the Makai have come to an end and now there will be chaos, I assume." Hiei narrowed his eyes at Koenma, "why were you not prepared for this?"

"We were," Koenma murmured. "Until recent developments, that is."

"And what are those?" Kuwabara asked, arms crossed over his broad chest. He blinked when Koenma pointed towards the screen and all detectives looked towards it, curiosity in their eyes.

The screen was blank for a few seconds, with scuffling noises heard in the background, and then the bodies of six males were shown gathered around a table. They were ningen males…all dressed in expensive looking suits and surrounded by a plethora of waiters and beautiful women. They spoke in hushed tones and laughter could be heard as they drank down their wine. From the way the angle of the camera was positioned, it was clear that the person recorded this meeting was a spy for the Reikai.

Kuwabara blinked, "Um, what exactly are we looking at?" He was confused, but he wasn't the only one. Kurama was glancing towards each male, trying to find some sort of a clue, but frowned, having found nothing of importance.

Koenma sighed, "Look to the man in the middle."

Hiei's eyes narrowed. The human was rather handsome, as far as white-collar males went. He had brown hair that he wore slicked back and the disarming smile on his face wasn't at all friendly but it was his eyes that caught the hybrid's attention. He'd seen those eyes before. "Tarukane."

"What?!" Yusuke cried out.

"Are you sure, Hiei?" Kurama asked, stepping closer to observe the human male a bit more clearly. His eyes widened in shock as he realized his friend was correct. He turned to Koenma, "is he a family member?"

Koenma exhaled slowly, bringing his fingers up to rub his temples. "This is Kizuato Tarukane, Gonzo Tarukane's son."

"Are you serious?" Yusuke's lip curled in disgust, "Who the hell would father a kid with that ugly ass bitch?"

"Our records indicate that the women who birthed Kizuato was not…a willing partner." Kuwabara's cry of outrage caused Koenma to slump in his seat. "She was killed not long after Kizuato was born."

"What does this have to do with the second Makai tournament?" Kurama wanted to know, his eyes still trained on the footage on the screen.

"The group of men you're looking at, this is the _new_ Black Black Club." Koenma felt all their eyes on him and he shrugged at their looks of disbelief. "They kept it hidden for quite some time now. These are all sons, brothers, and cousins of the original members and we have reason to believe that they have been plotting this ever since the tournament on Hanging Neck Island even ended."

"This damn committee is always going to have some member to try and bring it back from the dead," Kuwabara grunted, his fist clenched. He glared at Kizuato's face, remembering the pain that the man's father had subjected his sweet Yukina to.

"This still doesn't explain their role in the tournament," Kurama murmured. "After Enki's rule, what demon would willingly cater to a group of humans?"

Koenma shifted and two youkai noticed.

"_**Hn. He's going to try and hide something from us."**_

"_Yes, I can see that. What do you make of this Youko?"_

"**He's going to tell us something we obviously should have known about. The Reikai are always hiding secrets…even from their detectives."**

"Demons will flock to this tournament for one reason," Koenma began, voice quiet, "The grand prize at the end…will be the Shikon no Tama."

Hiei and Kurama both stiffened in shock while Yusuke and Kuwabara made noises of confusion.

"Koenma, how is this possible?" Kurama asked, "That jewel existed 500 years ago. There isn't a human alive today who has seen it or heard of it. How is it possible that the committee knows of the sacred jewel?"

"…This is where you're all going to be extremely upset with me," Koenma sucked on his pacifier harshly. "There is one member of the committee that is not human. He is a demon that has lived for centuries, dating way back to the Sengoku Jidai period. His name is Naraku…he is a hanyou that seemingly refuses to die. During the great quest, he was defeated by the miko, Kagome, but her selfless wish using the shikon became her greatest sacrifice. The evil demon Naraku is her greatest enemy now as he was back then."

Hiei growled, "Get to the point, Koenma. You're hiding something. If the sacred jewel was used during the great quest then why is it the prize for the winner of this tournament?"

"The jewel lives on inside of Kagome Higurashi," Koenma sighed, "A young and very powerful miko…just a few months older than Yusuke and Kuwabara."

"Wait, I'm confused," Yusuke frowned, "If this girl defeated this demon 500 years ago…how the hell is she our age?"

"She used to travel through time," Koenma explained, "using the well built on her shrine. She is from this present time, but she had the ability to travel back to the Jidai period whenever she jumped down the well. After the great battle between herself, her friends, and Naraku, she wished for all of the pain her friends and family had gone through to be erased and for her to be forgotten…so that they would live in peace."

There were a few moments of silence.

"How sad," Kuwabara whispered, head shaking.

"What else is there, Koenma?" Hiei glared, eyes intense. "You have yet to explain how this all happened."

"Oh, very well, Hiei. You see, during the time you all were working for me, my father actually hired his own spirit detective. The miko, Kagome Higurashi. It was difficult at first…the girl had no real control over her powers and would accidentally harm anyone who would try to help her, but once my father found her a master that could actually teach her…she rose to be incredibly powerful. She has been protecting the parts of the world that you all have been neglecting, be it Makai, Reikai or the Ningen Kai. She's been fighting without rest and without help, for _years._"

"We lost contact with her several months ago but we found her because of this footage. Naraku found her first…and now he's auctioning her off as the prize."

"Why her?" Kuwabara asked. "Why not just the jewel?"

"Because, fool," Hiei grunted, "She _is _the jewel ."

"Correct," Koenma nodded. "Sort of. The jewel resides in her body."

"How did she get caught up in this?" Kurama questioned. "You mentioned this Naraku finding her…how is that he is still alive if he succeeding in capturing a miko?"

"Naraku always comes back as her enemy due to her sacrifice. He is a youkai made of a thousand youkai…so he always comes back slightly different. It usually takes a couple of years for him to pop back up, but he always does."

Koenma's eyes lowered. "She will live a long, hard life battling the same demon, and many others that target her for the jewel. I have yet to understand how Naraku managed to capture her this time. The times before, they'd fight with her being the victor…" he crossed his arms. "This is why I want you all to enter. If someone other than you all wins this tournament…the wish they could make on the jewel could be dangerous."

"_How did this demon manage to capture her, Hiei? She has been fighting him for years without ever losing. What could have changed?"_

"_**I do not know, fox, but I feel like we are not going to like the answer."**_

Yusuke growled, pacing around the office. "This bitch sure picked a hell of a time to become captured. Keiko is going to kill me for this."

"Hey, come on Urameshi," Kuwabara glared, "this isn't the lady's fault! Haven't you been listening? She's been fighting to protect the world the same way we have…and she hasn't had any help." His voice was hard and Yusuke flinched as the words sunk in.

They all knew that even though Yusuke was powerful, he'd never have been able to come as far as he had without the help from his team.

"Is there more to the video?" Kurama questioned, "You mentioned this video being the clue to finding her."

"Oh, yes," Koenma pressed a button on his pad and they watched as he forwarded the video a bit. Then, he let go of the button. "Watch." He instructed, pointing towards the center of the group of men. "Tarukane is about to welcome Naraku into the club."

The detectives watched the video closely.

_Kizuato stood, "Your attention," he called to the group of men. He smirked when they looked in his direction. "As promised, I've brought the man who will be able to supply a glorious prize for our winning team. This is Naraku," he gestured to the demon sitting beside him. _

_Naraku had long dark hair and menacing red eyes. The hanyou's lips curled into a grim smile that only grew wider when the committee members shuddered a bit at his stare. _

"_And I thought your old man had a good demon in that Toguro guy," one of the members spoke up. "This demon looks even more evil."_

_Naraku chuckled as Kizuato snorted. _

"_Please. Naraku would dominate Toguro without even trying."_

Yusuke turned to Koenma, red in the face, "Is he serious?! This damn guy is stronger than _Toguro_?"

Koenma's eyes closed. "He is."

"Crap," Yusuke muttered, before looking back to the screen.

"_So, where's our prize, then?" one of the members asked, impatience written all over his ugly face. The other members began to mutter to themselves, all wanting to see what would be offered to the team that won. _

"_So glad you've asked," Naraku spoke, his voice alluringly evil. He stood, easily surpassing Kizuato in height. Turning, he made his way out of the camera's viewpoint, and then returned, his wrist wrapped around a leash leading to a collar wrapped around a female's neck. _

_The camera zoomed in on the woman's face. Her eyes were a beautiful blue color, but once they looked around the room, they darkened a shade. She wasn't smiling or frowning. Her face was schooled into a void expression._

"Oh, man," Yusuke shook his head. "Damn it…she is pretty young." His eyes swept over her tense figure as the camera zoomed back out. "She's…hot."

"Urameshi, you're a shit," Kuwabara mumbled, "Yeah, she's really pretty…but she's in trouble!"

Kurama hummed; head tilting as he observed the miko. She was beautiful. Her raven hair was long; it easily reached her lower back and nicely wavy. Her body was exquisite, noticeable even underneath the white yukata she wore.

Hiei watched as Naraku ran a finger down the miko's cheek, and the miko's eyes strayed to his. The lovely blue eyes narrowed and he could see the anger and disgust in the woman's orbs.

"_This, gentlemen," Naraku spoke fondly, "Is the hostess of the Shikon no Tama, Miss Kagome Higurashi." He chuckled as the miko glared at him, "The jewel her body holds can be used to make any one who uses it stronger…or, it could grant you a wish of your choice."_

"_Why don't we just take the jewel out of her, then?" the committee member who'd spoken first asked, leering. "I'd love to see that pretty pale skin covered in blood."_

_The miko's eyes slowly turned towards the man who'd spoken. She was staring him down, her face unreadable but her eyes promising pain. _

"_Now, now," Naraku pet Kagome's silky hair, "If the winner decides that they want to kill her in order to have the jewel, then so be it. I wish for her to be kept alive until then. She is __**pleasurable**__ company."_

_The tape ended with laughter from the demon and members._

"I don't like the way he said that last sentence," Kuwabara said, frown firmly set on his face. "If that bastard is hurting her, then he's going to pay!"

Hiei rolled his eyes at the taller male, "Yes, you'll definitely be the one to teach him a lesson." He easily side-stepped the hit Kuwabara threw his way.

"Bite me, shorty!"

"Enough," Kurama groaned, rubbing his temples. He looked to Koenma, "How long before the tournament takes place?"

Koenma glanced to Yusuke. "About three months, give or take."

Yusuke stiffened. Keiko was 3 months along with their child. He dragged his hand down his face while sighing. "How am I supposed to explain this, toddler?"

"I can help…" Botan whispered, coming through a portal to stand behind the detectives. Her voice was so quiet and sad, it was almost impossible to hear her. She looked up at the men, "Kagome is kind. When I first met her, she was just so sweet. The girl almost never rests and she always seems so happy, despite the hell she constantly faces. Do you know that the wish even caused her own family here in the Ningenkai to forget about her? It's as if she never existed. She has no family, she has no close friends…she's alone."

No one spoke as Botan began to tear up. Her sniffles were loud in the quiet room. She hiccupped before she continued. "She told me about it, you know. Her quest, the friends she made, the friends she lost, the battle…and then having nothing to go back to. She had a son, a kitsune."

Kurama's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"He was orphaned by some of their earlier enemies. Her and Inuyasha, a half-human, half-dog demon, her best friend, they took him in and in the years they spent together, she became his mother." Botan shook her head. "We offered many times to let her go back to that time period. The well is still open, and she can still pass through…but she refuses. The pain…It would be too great."

Botan looked to Yusuke. "Keiko will listen to reason. Just let me talk to her." She watched as Yusuke nodded slowly before she looked to Koenma. "Sir, I've brought Master Tamotsu."

"Thank you, Botan." Koenma stood and walked towards the portal that Botan had opened. He bowed as an older, but very well-kept man walked through. He was tall, towering over Kuwabara by a few inches and he had long gray hair that was tied back into a low ponytail with piercing lilac colored eyes. He was dressed in dark hakama's, the top only a slight lighter than the bottoms.

"Master Tamotsu, it is a pleasure to see you again," Koenma gestured to the spirit detectives, "These are going to be your teammates during the tournament."

"Say what?" Yusuke blinked.

"This is Master Tamotsu, Yusuke," Koenma supplied. "He is Kagome's sensei."

Tamotsu looked them over with a critical eye before he bowed his head. "I must extend my thanks in your willingness to help," his voice was quiet raspy when he spoke, as if he were ill. "Kagome is quiet important to me…I wish for her safe return."

Kurama bowed his head as well, "We will do what we can for the priestess." He blinked when Tamotsu chuckled.

"She never liked to be addressed by a title," Tamotsu told him. "She very much preferred to be called by her name." He sighed, eyes lowering. "I am worried for her. She is powerful but she still has too much heart. She will trust too easily…my naïve little girl."

"Then she is looking to get herself killed," Hiei scoffed. "How is it that the miko was caught? If you've trained her so well, she should have been able to use her powers to defeat Naraku just as she's done before."

Tamotsu frowned at the small hybrid. "If I knew what Naraku did to manage to imprison Kagome then Koenma would have been the first person I would have told. The weeks before Kagome disappeared, she was very distant. Normally, she and I would train for a few days, and then spend the rest of the week meditating and enjoying some tea but all of a sudden, she would come to see me for only a few hours and then leave before ever explaining why." Tamotsu shook his head, "I…assumed it had to do with Naraku, since none of her other cases ever made her so upset…but I had no idea that this would happen." His lilac eyes began to water.

"Oh, Master Tamotsu," Botan placed a comforting hand on the man's shoulder, "This is not your fault. Kagome would be torn if she knew you were blaming yourself." She squeezed the distraught man's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Master Tamotsu," Kurama spoke gently. "But we do not have time for sadness. We must train." He looked to Hiei. "Will you stay?"

Hiei smirked, "A chance to fight again in a tournament and kill as many demons as I can? Of course."

Kuwabara snorted, "Not to mention saving a woman from a terrible fate, Hiei."

"Hn. Whatever."

"You little-"

"Hey! Cut that shit out," Yusuke growled, "We have to be serious about this. Botan," he waited till he had the ferry girl's attention, "Get the girls in here. They're going to want to know what's up. Swing by and grab the old hag also."

Botan nodded and quickly opened up another portal.

"So, old man," Yusuke turned to Tamotsu, "Your girl strong, huh?"

Tamotsu smiled. "Kagome is extremely skilled for someone so young. It took a while for her to harness her true powers of purification, but she did it. Aside from that, she is a master archer, her healing abilities are phenomenal, and her barriers are impenetrable."

"_In simpler terms, the woman can easily harm us all."_ Kurama shifted uneasily.

"_**Obviously, fox. She's a miko. She can probably kill us if she had a mind to."**_

"**I just hope we're able to have a little bit of fun with her, really. She looks delectable." **Youko purred.

"_**I'll be here to laugh at you when she incinerates you."**_

"_You're a good friend, Hiei."_

"However," Tamotsu continued, "She is very reluctant to use her powers unless absolutely necessary. She has no problem engaging in battle with Naraku, but she's been known to extend a helping hand to any demon or human in need. It often lands her into trouble."

"What a childish onna," Hiei crossed his arms. "She probably felt pity for this Naraku and tried to help him during this last battle of theirs."

Tamotsu glared fiercely at the hybrid. "Know this," he spoke darkly, "Naraku is the _only_ demon that Kagome would ever willingly kill without so much as batting an eye."

Hiei glared back at the older male but kept quiet.

"Well," Yusuke sighed, "Let's get to business." He looked to Koenma, "If I miss the birth of my child for this, I'm going to shove that pacifier up your nose."

Koenma merely grunted, eyes rolling.

-_KMIYM-_

"Her beauty truly is remarkable, isn't it?"

Kagome ignored the male who'd spoken. She stared at the decaying wall, her body strung tight. She focused on keeping her mind blank, her breathing even. Her arms were shackled above her head and her toes were barely brushing against the dirty floor.

"Oh, she is indeed lovely," Naraku murmured, eyes glinting. "I've often invited her to my bed, but she can be quite stubborn." He opened to door to her cell, stepping in slowly along with Tarukane.

"Wouldn't she be able to purify you if you so much as touched her?" Kizuato circled the miko, staring at her nude body with appreciation. His fingers reached out to trace the swell of her one of her breasts.

"Mm," Naraku agreed. "I've always liked a little bit of danger. Besides…I can touch her now." His hand cupped Kagome's chin, squeezing lightly. "You're behaving, miko. I'm very proud."

Kagome's eyes narrowed but she didn't speak.

"In three months' time, you will be a grand prize for a lucky demon. He or she will have the power of the sacred jewel and you will be powerless to stop it." Naraku smirked. "Of course, you could just allow me to kill you now and take the Shikon for myself." He chuckled, "but you won't do that…and we both know why."

Her eyes flashed.

Naraku bit back a hiss as he pulled his hand away from the woman's face. The human male at his side jumped in surprise and removed his hands from the miko's body, even though her purification powers wouldn't harm him at all. Naraku's hand was burned, singed by just a trickle of her power. He snarled at her when she smiled smugly at him.

"I know your plan," Kagome whispered, eyes dark, "You're going to try and kill the demon that wins while they're weak…so you can claim me for yourself. We both know why I'm going along with it for now…but I promise you that if you go back on your word, I'll make sure to end you. Once and for all."

Lowering his hand, Naraku jerked his head towards Kizuato. "Punish her."

Kizuato brandished the whip he'd brought inside of the cell with him and lashed out with it, leaving a nice and clean cut on Kagome's right cheek with the single lash.

Wincing, the miko lowered her head, feeling the lashes rain down on her arms and shoulders. She squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself to not give into the pain.

'_Stay strong,' _She told herself, gritting her teeth in pain. '_You must stay strong.' _She inhaled a shaky breathe, tilting her up to the ceiling.

'_Please, King Enma…don't send anyone to help me.'_

_-KMIYM-_

_**This was terrible, wasn't it?**_

_**I'm sorry, it's been quite a while since I've written an anime fic…and I'm so certain I've got all their characteristics wrong. Anyway, please let me know what you think!**_

_**Feel free to guess as to what Naraku did in order to enslave Kagome. I like guesses. **_

_**Also, this will be a Hiei/Kagome fic with quite a few hints at a one-sided Kurama/Youko/Kagome. Lots of lemons are to come. **_

_Onna: __**Woman**_

_Tamotsu: __**Defender/Protector**__; Kagome's sensei of 3 and half years. She learned mastery of her powers with his help after a year and a half but continues to train under his wing._

_Kizuato Tarukane: __**Scar.**__ He is the new founder of the Black Black Club, the son of Gonzo Tarukane and a product of rape._

_Reikai: __**Spirit World**_

_Ningenkai: __**Human World**_

_Makai: __**Demon World**_

_**The 3 years that Yusuke and Koenma were referring to were the 3 years that Enki was ruler of the Makai. During these 3 years, demons quelled their mischief in the human world but there was still conflict among demon world that Kagome usually sorted out after Yusuke, Hiei, Kuwabara and Kurama retired. **_

_**Any grammar mistakes I'll try to fix at a later time. Also, if there's anything like a loop hole that you see with the plot, try to ignore it. I'm not good at filling in holes. **_

I'm so sorry if this sucked, honestly.


	2. Chapter 2

Eh heh. Sorry for not mentioning before…but as far as communicating telepathically:

"_**This is Hiei."**_

"_This is Kurama."_

"**This is Youko."**

{_This is Kagome._}

There is a lot of controversy surrounding which anime verse has the stronger fighters. I've read several forums where YYH's universe is so much stronger than the IY universe (with the rankings of A class, S class, etc} but I'm honestly lost to all of that.

In this story, the worlds will be pretty tied except for the fact that Sesshoumaru remains one of the more powerful youkai of his time. Mukuro, Raizen, and Yomi are said to be the strongest demons in the Makai, but that is during the present I believe, and since Sengoku Jidai was 500 years ago, Sesshoumaru is considered pretty damn dangerous because from what I have researched and remembered, The Three Kings came into power around the time where Inu no Taisho was already revered as being a legend in his own right. Therefore…in this story, Sesshoumaru is much more powerful than any others.

Also, there will not be much mention of Mukuro, Yomi or Enki. I don't feel as if I'm talented enough to include them in the actual story, but they will be mentioned a couple of times.

Chapter 2: The Prize and the Encounter

-_**3 Months Later; Makai-**_

"I still can't believe she's let you come, Urameshi," Kuwabara thought back to when they left the women back at Genkai's temple. The psychic had Botan create a visual portal where they would be able to see the fights and all the women had decided to stay there with a very pregnant Keiko.

"Ch, she almost didn't," Yusuke grumbled, as he looked around the arena. "As soon as I started to pack, she began to bawl on me, saying that she just had to be here because she couldn't bear the thought of staying home alone." He sighed, "I'm glad Yukina and Botan managed to convince her to stay with the old lady, it'll be a comfort for her." He looked to his youkai companions, "So Mukuro, Yomi and Enki really aren't going to compete this year?"

The tournament this year was staged nothing like the ones before. The area they were in was extremely dark, with an odd scent. There were gnarled looking trees that housed rather menacing looking birds and the ring was surrounded by the skulls and bones of demons long dead. It seemed to be very far away from where they held the last tournament. Nothing was familiar to Yusuke.

It still wasn't said how the preliminaries would turn out. The committee was being very quiet at the moment, allowing the area to become full of the contenders and for the suspense to build. Several hundred feet away from the ring stood a large temple, and then several smaller ones scattering the perimeter. The windows on the larger temple were tinted black so it was impossible to see inside.

_It is probably where the committee will be spending the night. _Kurama observed.

For now, the members were situated on top of a large pillar, giving them an overhead view of the ring below. It seemed as if they were completely exposed.

"Mukuro never had any intention of competing," Hiei informed the detective. "She has no desire for the power of the jewel and only wants the Makai to remain as it was before Enki's rule." He crossed his arms. "Kirin mentioned to me that Mukuro has also met the priestess and was quite charmed by her. She does not want the woman hurt, and it is implied that if something goes wrong, she will be ready to assist."

"As will Yomi," Kurama mentioned. "It seems the girl has been quite popular among the Makai."

Tamotsu nodded, "Kagome has the most unusual ability when it comes to meeting new people. In a brief moment, she can either gain an ally or an enemy, very rarely is it the latter. She is quite a remarkable woman."

Kuwabara patted the older man's back. "It's okay, Master Tamotsu. We'll get her back! We're the most powerful team here, and you're a damn good competitor too! You even got a good number of hits in on shorty." He looked around, laughing nervously at the amount of demons. "Wow, there sure are a lot of them, huh?"

As Kuwabara and Yusuke headed off to find old acquaintances, Kurama and Hiei stared up at the committee, their eyes narrowed and postures tensed. The damn humans were staring down at the mass of demons who were all gathered around, talking amongst themselves. Tarukane and Naraku were standing tall, their eyes surveying carefully.

_**They are completely open to an attack. **_Hiei grunted, shaking his head. _**The fools are either very secure with themselves or stupid.**_

_It is true. They don't seem to be at all intimidated by all of us being here. _The youkai tensed when Tarukane brought a microphone up to his lips.

"What a nice turnout," Kizuato grinned, staring down at the leering demons. "Sad to say…more than half of you will probably be dead before we get to the real battle tomorrow."

There was uproar from the crowd before Naraku stepped up, his chuckle echoing in their ears. "Although what my colleague said was true, I feel it is only right to at least let you all take a look at what your prize _would_ have been."

Master Tamotsu stiffened in anger when several committee members stood aside to reveal Kagome. There was a thick collar around her neck with chains that connected to handcuffs on her wrists. She was dressed in a silky kimono, black in color and tight against the chest and her curvy hips.

"We want to see the jewel!" one of the demons besides the detectives cried out, shaking his fist up at the committee. "How do we know she actually has it or if she's even the actual shikon miko?!"

Naraku's lips quirked into a crooked grin, "You doubt my word?" he purred, before turning towards the miko. He spoke to her, and they watched as she obediently raised her hands towards him. A few seconds of rustling later, and the cuffs fell off of her raw wrists and she was handed a bow and arrow from her hanyou captor.

"You want the jewel, demon?" Naraku smirked, "Then come take it." He wrapped his arm around Kagome's waist before jumping down into the ring. He removed his arm from the miko and stepped away, that eerie smile still plastered onto his face.

"Come on," Yusuke muttered, leading his team towards the front of the ring so they could get a better look. The surrounding demons all stepped aside, recognizing the power of the mazoku, the fox, and the master of the Jagan.

The demon that had spoken grunted and marched up to the ring, his head held high. He jumped up into the concrete circle and stared down at miko, yellow eyes dilated in excitement.

The miko kept her head lowered submissively, ignoring the taunts from the crowd. "I do not wish to harm you," she whispered, raising her head. The blue of her eyes was stunning, but the sadness in the beautiful orbs was damning.

Hiei shook his head in disbelief. The onna was insane. There were a horde of demons here, waiting to claim her as a prize, and she didn't want to protect herself from the demon only a few feet away?

_**If she's truly this caring then she deserves death. **_He thought, crossing his arms.

"I doubt you could," the demon replied arrogantly. He charged towards the woman, his claws extended. "Let's see if you really are the all-powerful miko!"

Kagome closed her eyes tightly.

"Now, miko," Naraku ordered.

Her eyes opening, Kagome readied her bow and arrow, "Forgive me." She shot the arrow and the demons could practically _taste___the power emanating from the single arrow. It pierced through the demon easily, and his shrill scream of agony lasted only a few seconds before he was purified completely.

The shocked silence from the crowd made Naraku laugh. He stepped up to Kagome, "Well done, my dear," he looked around, "Well? Does anyone else wish to come forth and challenge the power of the miko?"

"Whoa, she's fast," Kuwabara muttered, "I didn't even realize she launched the arrow until it was soaring."

Hiei could feel goosebumps all over his body. He inhaled sharply, his insides churning at the amount of sacred energy the miko had released with just _one_ arrow. The woman was lethal. He clenched his fists. Although he could sense that Naraku was also quite powerful, Hiei knew that she could handle her own with him even now as she's done before…so why did she allow herself to be _caught_?

"Ara?" Naraku watched several of the demons come into the ring, snarls on their faces. "Do you now believe me when I say that more than half of you will be gone? The weaker half, of course." He smirked at his captive, "What say you, Kagome? Shall we rid the Makai of these low class filth?"

Kagome's aura shifted as she glared heatedly at Naraku. "This was not part of my deal." Her voice was strained, even as her anger emanated from her rigid form. She turned to the quickly growing group of demons.

Kurama's eyes brightened as she spoke. _She has made a deal with her worst enemy._

_**She has become corrupt. **_Hiei glared. _**And here we are to try and rescue her.**_

_Do not be so hasty, Hiei. Perhaps the deal they made was something she had no choice in agreeing to. Even now…can't you see how ashamed she is for what she's already done?_

Their thoughts were interrupted when Yusuke cursed.

"Damn it all…" the detective watched as from all around them, demons from different class levels began to fill the ring, their powers rising. "They're all going to jump her."

"We can't let that happen!" Kuwabara made a move but was stopped by a gentle hand on his shoulder. He turned his head, blinking.

Tamotsu shook his head, eyes downcast. "Do not fear for her. She will not be hurt." He sighed, posture sagging. "Just…stay near me. I will form a barrier to protect us."

"What are you saying?" Kurama asked. "Is she going to kill those demons?"

"Seriously?!" Yusuke cried out, "She's going to wipe them out all at once?"

Tamotsu didn't answer right away as he began to form a strong barrier around them. "She won't do it alone," was all he murmured.

"If we all attack them at once, we'll be able to kill that hanyou and get the jewel!" A boar demon roared from the head of the crowd. "No matter how powerful, they can't take us all!"

Naraku merely chuckled, opening his arms wide. "Want to test your theory?"

"Please," Kagome held up her hand, "_please_ don't do this." Her voice trembled as she pleaded but it was ignored as a bat demon grabbed her arms, pulling them harshly behind her. In a matter of seconds, the bat demon was shrieking in pain, the palms of his hands burned to the bone.

Naraku's form shifted, and Kuwabara gasped as several tentacle-like appendages flew out from the hanyou's body and into the chests of several demons. When the tentacles retracted, the beating hearts of the demons were held tightly in their grasps.

Kagome's sacred energy flared throughout the ring, her hands notching up another bow and letting it fly, grabbing another soon after. Even as she fought, there were tears streaming down her face.

"Oh…my poor girl," Tamotsu shook his head.

It didn't take very long. Between Kagome and Naraku, a vast majority of the demons that had come to compete were either purified by the miko or coldly murdered by the hanyou. After glancing around to gauge the number of opponents left, Kurama looked to Hiei.

"How many survived?"

"With us included, only one hundred." The apparition's arms crossed tightly. "They managed to kill more than half of the demons here in minutes." He narrowed his eyes when the miko fell to her knees.

"Gomen nasai," Kagome whispered, her shoulders shaking. She was lifted by Naraku, his hold on her tight as he laughed.

"Why do you still feel for these demons? You realize that if they were to win that they would kill you without remorse for that jewel…and yet," his tongue trailed over her tear-stained cheek, "you still care for them. Humans are such mysteries." He turned to look at the surviving demons. "You may all use the surrounding temples as areas of rest. The battles will begin early tomorrow."

Kizuato's voice called down to the demons. "If you would be so kind as to follow me," he pointed to the temples, "I will take you to your resting area."

"I was also told that the human team from a previous tournament was here," Naraku murmured, his eyes drifting through the crowd. "I ask them to please join us in our temple for the night."

Kuwabara grunted, "I don't like this, guys. I'm not really comfortable being near that guy," he shivered, "he reminds me of elder Toguro."

"Yeah, they do sort of look alike," Yusuke muttered. He turned to Kurama, "Think he'll take a go at us if we do stay the night with them?"

"I do not think so," Kurama narrowed his eyes as he watched Naraku, "He is powerful…but he does not seem like the type to just begin a fight. He must have a tactic in plan. We will have to be careful."

It didn't take long for them to be set up in different rooms in the temple. As soon as they had agreed to each stay on a separate floor, they were summoned to a very spacious room where both human and demon females were serving drinks and food, an entertainment room of sorts. It even had a large screen that was currently turned to static, and several of the members were watching them, ugly grins on their faces.

"Welcome," Kizuato stepped forwards, sweeping an arm around the area. "Feel free to partake in anything you'd like," he pulled a strung-out human female to his side, "and I do mean _anything_. This one has got a nice mouth on her."

"You son of a-" Yusuke grabbed Kuwabara's shoulder, shaking his head at his friend with hard eyes. Kuwabara stiffened but continued to glare over at the club member.

"No?" Kizuato pushed the female away. "Well, then, why don't we all just sit and relax? I am very interested in all of you." His eyes drifted towards Hiei, whose ruby eyes were burning a hole into his head. "Ah. I think I know you quite well."

"You know nothing of me." Hiei growled. "And it will stay that way." His eyes blinked when the large screen behind the committee members turned on, an image of Genkai's temple clearly shown before it was broadcasting footage of the girls, all gathered around Keiko before the image of his sister took over.

"Yes, I believe I've seen your eyes before," Kizuato smirked at the bristling demon, glancing back at the screen. "I remember the color. The way her tears would fall, sliding down her pretty cheeks and turning into lovely little jewels that would litter her feet. Father often let me see her." The screen behind the committee flashed, displaying live footage of Yukina back when she was held captive by Tarukane. "I believe she was prettier when she was crying." He chuckled, seeing Kuwabara and Hiei immediately reacting in anger.

"You sick shit," Kuwabara moved to attack but was stopped when Hiei intercepted him. "…Okay." He knew when to back down. Hiei was his Yukina's brother, and as much as Kuwabara wanted to be the one to break Tarukane's face, he wasn't going to over-rule Hiei's defense of her.

"I'll kill you," Hiei snarled. He'd barely started to move, when he felt a tingling in the back of his mind. He concentrated on it, recognizing it as someone trying to speak to him using telepathy.

{_Please, don't. Kizuato is trying to get a rise out of you. If you come after him, you'll be turned to ash by my barrier._}

Narrowing his eyes, Hiei stared at the woman standing a few steps behind Tarukane. She was staring at him intensely, her posture rigid. Her eyes sought his before he turned to look back at Kizuato, who was staring at him in slight confusion.

"Well?" the human taunted, arms outstretched, "I didn't take you as someone to make empty treats, Hiei."

Hiei glared, "Your cowardly attempt to have me killed is noted." He turned his back on the human, "You will not always have her barriers to protect you, and when that time comes, know that I will make good on my promise to end your life."

Kizuato seemed stunned before he clenched his fists, turning his head. "You told him?" the man hissed. He lifted his arm as he turned, the back of his hand smacking roughly into the miko's jaw with a loud _pop!_

Hiei stared as Kagome fell over from the force of the hit. He watched her land harshly on her side, her black hair curtaining her face. _**"Why don't you fight?" **_he asked her, frustrated when she did not respond.

"Hey!" Kuwabara cried out, rushing towards the woman. He shoved Kizuato out of the way and bent down, "Are you okay?" he asked gently, picking her up lightly by the arms since her wrists were still locked together.

"Hai, arigato," She whispered, straightening herself once he'd set her on her feet. She gave him a small smile, her eyes twinkling. "Your kindness knows no bounds, Kuwabara-san."

Kuwabara blinked and rubbed the back of his neck. "Eh, you can call me Kazuma." He stared at her face, noticing the redness now decorating her milky skin, before turning to glare at Kizuato, "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kick your ass for hitting a lady!"

Kizuato merely smiled, straightening his tie. "You need not worry about her. She will be fine." He chuckled, "I've done much worse to her, believe me. Her beautiful body always returns to its perfect state."

Kurama placed a firm hand on Tamotsu's shoulder when the man began to shake in anger. "Do not let him goad you," the fox warned, "he is trying to anger us all and although it is working, we cannot act upon it."

Kagome stared at her sensei, her features sad. She looked to Kizuato, "Naraku has asked me to bring them to him. You will retire for the night."

He frowned at her. "How do I know you're telling the truth?"

She smiled, "Would you like to ask him yourself? You know how much he despises having his authority questioned." Her smile widened when he shifted. "Good." She looked to the group, bowing slightly, "Please. If you would follow me," she turned, walking out of the room.

As soon as they were a good ways away from the area they had just vacated, Kagome turned to them, her smile dropping. "Sensei," she whispered, "You should not have come. I had hoped you would not come…any of you." She sighed, "Were you sent by Koenma? Please, reach out to him and tell him to let you leave here."

"Kagome," Tamotsu gently grasped her upper arms, "What is going on? You've been fighting Naraku for years. Never once has he been able to subdue you and I want to know how and why he's done it this time."

"Please, just leave," Kagome closed her eyes briefly. "I do not want any of you hurt. I will not be the cause of so much pain. Not again."

Kurama frowned, "What do you think will happen if someone besides us wins the tournament? The demon that would have the jewel will use it for a selfish need that will most likely bring more pain than you're ready for."

"I am prepared for that." Her answer, though vague, sent a chill down their spines. Her tone was sad, yet she was smiling. "I do not mean to be rude, but it will be best if you abandon your mission to save me and just leave."

"Save you?" Hiei smirked, "From what I've seen, you have enough power to defeat Naraku and yet you have let him enslave you. Perhaps it is because you have become tired of guarding the jewel and actually wish for someone else to have control over it."

"Damn it, Hiei," Yusuke muttered, watching Kagome's eyes zero in on the hybrid.

Kagome stared intently at Hiei, and her head tilted, a genuine smile playing on her face, "You are wrong, Hiei. I am exhausted, yes…but I do not wish this life on anyone. I allowed Naraku to capture me because it is something I needed to do." She inhaled deeply, "This is my life. No matter what I feel, it is my job to protect the jewel and I _will_ protect it."

She walked closer to them but her eyes were set solely on the hybrid. She didn't even twitch when his hand immediately grasped onto his katana. She merely raised her shackled hands, "Do not worry, Hiei. I have no desire to harm you." She stopped when she was close enough for him to practically taste the determination she held. "Stay if you choose to. Perhaps it will be you that wins…and if it is," she held her wrists out, smiling, "I will allow the jewel to grant you your wish in exchange for you granting mine."

Stunned, Hiei took a minute to digest her offering. Frowning, he released his hold on his weapon, "And what is _your_ wish, onna?"

Kagome shook her head, her smile still in place, and then she turned, continuing her walk. "Come. Naraku must be wondering where you all are."

"Well," Kurama grinned, "Seems like gathering information from her will be fairly simple. Thank you for volunteering, Hiei."

Hiei blinked and growled, crossing his arms, "And when exactly did I-" he grit his teeth when Kurama waved him off.

"Man, I'm surprised she even answered you, Hiei. What you said was totally out of line." Yusuke commented, following after the miko when she called back to them.

Tamotsu chuckled, "Kagome knows how to handle herself. My guess is that she's very interested in you, Hiei."

"She would be wise to not try and sate her curiosity."

"**Hell, I say you let her try and figure you out. Might even get you laid."**

"_**Shut up, fox."**_

"_Youko, please." _Kurama shook his head, _"Seriously, Hiei. It might be beneficial for you to be more involved with her. We would certainly get closer to realizing why she would allow herself to be captured and it is information Koenma will be wanting."_

"_**Why don't you do it?"**_ Hiei growled.

Kurama sent him a wry smile. _"She specifically spoke to you."_

Their conversation came to an abrupt end when Kagome opened the doors leading to Naraku's room. She side-stepped, bowing her head and gestured for them to enter with a wave of her hand.

As Hiei walked past her, he noticed that her posture was rigid. He scowled, _**"You know why we are here."**_

_{I do.}_

"_**You will cooperate. I have a lot of questions and you will answer them."**_

_{To the best of my ability.} _She followed after him, the shackles clinking as she walked. _{Naraku is very interested in you all. Especially you, Hiei. He is a twisted, foul, demon who will not hesitate to exploit whatever weaknesses you hold.} _She stopped when he turned suddenly, eyes dark.

"_**Do not presume to know about my strengths or weaknesses, onna. You know nothing of me besides what Koenma has told you and that doesn't even scratch the surface of who I truly am." **_

They stared at one another silently and then Kagome lowered her eyes, nodding. "Forgive me. I did not mean to insult you." She walked past him, her shoulder slightly brushing against arm, and moved to Naraku's side, keeping her gaze downcast.

Hiei inhaled, her scent filling his senses. She smelled very nice. Clean and sweet, it was so unlike the smell of death and rotting flesh that inhabited the Makai. Her smell felt warm…soothing.

He turned, standing beside his teammates and staring up at Naraku, who was sat in the center of the room. His lips were quirked in a sinister grin, fingers gently stroking Kagome's shackled wrist.

"Welcome," Naraku watched them, eyes gleaming, "I am very glad that you were able to compete this year. The footage I was shown from the last two tournaments was extremely impressive."

"Yeah? So you know we could probably kick your butt!" Kuwabara smirked, holding his fist out. His smug look dropped when Naraku's eyes slowly drifted to look him over.

"You would be wise to not underestimate me, human." Although his voice was level, the malicious look on his face was enough to make Kuwabara shudder. Naraku stood, his youki flaring, and he pushed off his heel.

Before Kuwabara knew it, he was being lifted into the air by one of the demon's tentacles. He cried out in surprise, balling his fists. "Hey! Let go of me!"

Naraku glared up at him, his energy rolling around him in waves. "You are useless. You should be disposed of."

"Kuwabara!" Yusuke held up his hand, index finger poised. "Put him down, you asshole!"

Hiei had already drawn his katana, his eyes narrowed and shoulders tensed. At his side, Kurama and Tamotsu were also ready to attack the vile hanyou, their own power spiking in power.

Naraku chuckled, his limb striking Kuwabara across the cheek, leaving behind a deep gash, "Do not try to order me around, mazo-" he was cut off as a wave of Hiei attacked, slicing his katana through Naraku's appendage and freeing Kuwabara. The human let out a squeak as he landed rather harshly on his bottom.

"Damn it, shorty!" Kuwabara complained, rubbing his sore backside, "You could have caught me or something."

"Hn. Don't press your luck," Hiei told him, keeping his eyes on a growling Naraku. He smirked, "You must be holding back because that was pathetic. If I could injure you so easily then this tournament is already won."

Naraku sneered, his youki rising. "I will not waste my power on someone so insignificant such as an imiko," his eyes brightened when Hiei's snarl echoed the room. "A disgrace even amongst the hanyou's. You should have been murdered the day you were _born_."

"Enough."

All eyes turned to Kagome, who was on her tiptoes, her hand stroking Kuwabara's cheek. In a matter of seconds, the deep cut on his face was healed. She turned to Naraku, frowning, "Let them rest. They will need their energy to fight tomorrow."

The group watched, tensed, as Kagome and Naraku stared each other down. Even being unfamiliar with the two, they could easily see the years of hatred, of anger, pain, and disgust that they shared with each other.

Naraku looked away first, a smile on his face. A few seconds later, a creature materialized besides him. It smelled thickly of Naraku and miasma, a blend that caused them all to wrinkle their noses in displeasure.

The thing was quite ugly. It appeared to look like a limbless Cyclops, being only a floating head with a single eye staring towards Naraku. It chirped at him and the eye closed as Naraku patted it.

"Bring Kizuato," he told the thing. "My little miko is in need of punishment." The creature disappeared with a happy squeak.

"Punishment?" Tamotsu cried out in outrage, "What have you been doing to her?"

Naraku didn't answer him, instead he looked to the door when Kizuato appeared. "Take her down to the cellar. Two hours will do."

"Yes, sir," Kizuato grabbed Kagome's shackles, tugging her harshly. Seemingly used to this treatment, Kagome stepped quickly as she was pulled. She flashed a comforting smile at her Sensei before she was pulled out the door.

"Where is he taking her?" Tamotsu demanded to know, face pinched in anger.

"My miko requires a whipping for speaking to me out of line." Naraku answered, turning his back to them. "You are free to leave. Do try to rest." He waved a hand carelessly, "Or don't. Not that I care." He turned his head slightly to lock eyes with Hiei. "This is not over, hybrid."

Hiei glared, but turned to leave along with his teammates.

"_**Not by a long shot, hanyou."**_

_zZzZzZzZzZ_

_So, obviously Naraku is playing it safe for now. Although he is powerful, he knows he stands a better chance at defeating the detectives while they are at their weakest. _

_Thank you all for the reviews! I am SO happy you all seem to enjoy the fic! Apologies for any mistakes, I'm too busy to grammar check. _

_Happy Christmas!_


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